FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: November 16, 2006

FORMER ALABAMACOACH GENE STALLINGS PROMOTES THE FBI’S NATIONAL CHILD ID PROGRAM

Birmingham – Former University of Alabama head football coach Gene Stallings acknowledged the Alabama Sheriffs Association (ASA), sheriffs across the state and the FBI for their contributions in protecting the children of Alabama through the FBI’s National Child ID Program, in a press conference today.

The ASA and sheriffs throughout the state have partnered with the American Football Coaches Association and the FBI’s National Child Identification Program to provide 410,000 Child ID kits for the children of Alabama. Through the efforts of the ASA, every Alabama child in grades kindergarten through 6 th grade will receive a Child ID kit. The leadership of the National Sheriffs Association is also working to implement this project across the country.

In 1997, the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) created the National Child Identification Program with the goal of fingerprinting 20 million children. In the program's first two years, nearly seven million I.D. Kits were distributed through stadiums, churches and community events. Now, five years later, more than 14 million I.D. Kits have been distributed, making the National Child Identification Program the largest child identification effort ever conducted. The goal of the program now is to reach all 60 million children in the United States.

In December 2001, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) joined in partnership with the AFCA to help increase parents awareness regarding the need to improve child safety. The FBI has participated with the AFCA in numerous national, regional and local efforts to explain the problem of missing children and the importance of having a completed Child I.D Kit to provide to law enforcement in the time of need.

“The FBI is proud to partner with the National Child ID Program. Our Children are one of our most precious assets, we must do all we can to protect them. These ID kits are an absolute must for every parent,” stated SAC Adams. “I also appreciate Coach Stallings personal involvement and leadership in helping to keep Alabama’s children safe,” stated SAC Adams.

“I value working with such great professionals in the FBI as well as Coach Stallings, Coach Shula and Coach Tuberville. I am also very grateful for the outstanding leadership of the sheriffs across the state of Alabama who have helped to get these important kits to the children of Alabama. Coach Stallings has truly been a ‘head coach’ in pulling together a ‘team’ in Alabama on this project,” stated Kenny Hansmire, Executive Director of the National Child ID Program.

“This is the program of a lifetime for parents,” stated Bobby Timmons, Executive Director of the ASA. “God forbid that a child should go missing, but if they do, this is a needed tool for their recovery.”

Contact:

FBI Birmingham : Paul E. Daymond, Media Representative, (205) 279-1457

Alabama Sheriffs Association: Bobby Timmons, Executive Director, (334) 264-7827

National Child ID Program: Kenny Hansmire, Executive Director, (214) 630-2245